Hand-bag.



l Fig. l.

' sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

Tonus conn, oF NEW Yonx', N. Y.

HAN'D To all'whom t may concern:

Be it k'nown that I', ToBIAs CoHN, a c1t1- zen of the United States, and a resident of the city, county, and State of New York,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hand-Bags, of which the following is `a specification.

My invention relates t0 hand bags such as Women use for shopping, and more particularly to those bags having more or less exible sides, which are adapted to collapse.

The object of my invention is to provide a bag for shopping purposes having a long top opening, and provided with stiffening means for the opening which will be suficiently stiff to prevent the top of the bag from sagging out of shape, but which will be sutliciently flexible to bend if packages or other articles project at some portion of the top of the bag. I thereby obtain the 'advantages of both rigid-frame and entirely flexible bags.

Another object of my inventionV is to soY inclose the reinforcing material and so attachthe inclosing member to the bag that articles may be repeatedly placed in and removed from the bag without tearing apart the different portions of the bag.

In the drawing forming part of this application, 'Figure 1 is a side elevation of a bag embodying my invention, with a portion broken away to show the construction, F ig. 2, is a sectional view` ltaken on the line 2 2` of Fig.' v1, vand Fig. 3, is a sectional view, taken on the line 3-3 of lThe bag consists of the sides 1, which are of flexible material such as `cloth or oilcloth, and any `suitable end gussets 2 may .be employed. The sides are adapted to spread apart to permit articles to be placed in the bag, and the latter is adapted to be carried by means of a handle 3.v The stiiening members 4 extend longitudinally and along the top portion of the bag and are attached to each of the sides 1. These stiifening members are semi-rigid and for this purpose I prefer to use cardboard because it will begsuiciently rigid to prevent the top ofthe'bagfroln'saggingand still it will permit diierent portions of the top edgesv oftheV bag to bend or bulge beyond other portionsjthereof. By such means I obtain. all the non-sagging advantages of a rigid frame bag and the desired flexible ad- Specification` of Letters Patent.

Patented July `4., 1916.

Application led June 9, 1915. Serial No. 33,018.

vantages of an entirely flexible or frameless bag. These strips are flat and elongated in cross section and they are disposed in planes parallel to the sides 1, so that they will be most r'igid in a vertical direction and most flexible in the lateral direction. The stiffeners 4 are secured to the sides 1, preferably by hem pieces 5 on the inside of the bag, which hem pieces may be integral with or separate from the sides 1, preferably bya line of stitches 6, and they are then stitches 8, which also secure binding strips 9 over the edges. The stiffeners 4 lie in the pockets 10 formed between the sides 1 and the members 5. The handles each comprise the grip portion 3, and the loop portions 11 which are secured to each end of the former by the rivets 12. The loops 11 extend through the sides 1, the stiifeners 4 and membersl 5, and eyelets 13. are preferably provided to prevent the loops'from .tearing the material.

When articles are placed in the bag the flexible sides conform more or less to the shape of the contents and this has a tendency to `cause the top edges of the bag tobulge, especially if some part ofthe contents should project from the top of the bag. This bulging is more or less resisted but not entirely prevented by the Istitl'eners 4, so that the bag will be as compact as if it were entirely flexible. The opening of the bag being long to permit large articles to be placed therein there is atendency for the bag, especially the top,to sag away from the handles but the stifeners 4 are sufficiently rigid to prevent this under ordinary conditions. Owing to the formation of the loops 7 and the covering of the raw edge 14, it is possible to insert' into and withdraw from the bag Various articles without catching on the raw edge 14 and without pulling the member 5 from the side 1. because they will readily slide' over' the loop 7 and not catch.

Having described my invention, what'I( tion connected with the top of the sides and lying in planes parallel With the sides, and a handle for said bag.

2. A hand bag havingan open top eX- tending the length of the bag and having flexible sides, hem members secured to the sides neai` the open top to foim pockets, stiening members of semi-rigid cardboard and of elongated cross section, disposed in said pockets in planes parallel with the sides, and a handle for the bag.

3. A hand bag having an open top, and

mesme iexible sides, hem members secured to the sides below the top edgesl thei'eef and turned ovei` to coveiD the edge of the hem. member by foi'miing a loop, said hem mem.- bers forming pockets with the sides, stiening members of semi-rigid cardboard and oi elongated cross section, disposed in said, pockets in planes parallel with the sides, and a handle for said bag.

Signed at the city, county and State of New York, this 26th day of May., 1915.

'l`. CHN. 

